When the sun is shining and the weather is very hot, being stuck in a car in traffic can make you miserable. While there's no quick way to deal with the heat, the following strategies can help you get to your destination a little cooler and drier.
Step
Step 1. Prepare a cold drink
Instead of carrying a thermos of hot coffee or tea, try preparing iced coffee or iced tea. You can also enjoy cold water. The more ice you add, the longer the chill will last.
Step 2. Hang the wet cloth in front of the vent
The air that blows out will be cooler.
Prepare a few wet cloths instead as they will dry quickly. Ask one of the passengers to change and wet the cloth. Wash the fabric once you reach your destination to prevent mold growth
Take off the footwear. It might feel a little weird, but the body gives off a lot of heat through the legs. So, riding barefoot (or wearing sandals) will help keep you cool.
Step 1.
Make sure there are no sharp objects on the car floor, such as screws
Step 2. Drive with wet hair
As moisture evaporates from your hair, your scalp will cool down, which will also lower your body temperature.
Step 3. Wet the clothes
Choose an area that doesn't touch the seat, such as the bottom of your pants that won't cause you any discomfort.
Step 4. Add ice cubes
Placing a 5 kg ice cube on the floor of the car under the vent will help cool the temperature inside the car. This technique was used by residents of Arizona, USA, as an air conditioner in the 40's and 50's! To prevent water from soaking the car floor, place ice cubes in a plastic basin or cake pan. Open the window slightly to help air circulation.
You can also put ice cubes in a polystyrene/thermocol container. Leave the container open and place the lid on an empty chair or on the floor. The ice will melt and blow cold air throughout the car. You will need more ice cubes for a longer journey
Step 5. Freeze water in a bottle and use it as an ice pack
Leave room for expansion when freezing water. Wrap the frozen bottle in a towel and stick it at the nape of the neck.
After thawing, you can drink the water in the bottle to cool off
Step 6. Plan a trip for cooler weather conditions
Mornings are usually the coldest. If you don't need to stick to a specific schedule, try to make the trip before it gets really hot. Try not to leave in the middle of the day to avoid the scorching heat. You can also choose a time of low humidity and drive at night, or when the weather is cloudy. However, don't drive when it's raining as it won't allow you to open the windows and cooling methods that use water are ineffective and/or cause the windows to fog up when it's humid or rainy.
Step 7. Take into account traffic conditions
This is also an important step in planning a trip. Almost all major cities have “peak hours” when everyone goes to work or returns home. This situation can cause you to get stuck in a traffic jam.
Step 8. Choose a leafy path to your destination
If you are driving north or south, a road with trees on the side of the road will provide protection from the sun all day long.
Step 9. Use toll roads whenever possible
Longer routes may be better if you want to avoid heavy creeping traffic.
- This also applies to the window-opening method as heavy traffic creeps down its effectiveness.
- In addition, dust and air pollution from vehicle fumes make you have to close the windows and turn on the fan (if possible) making it ineffective for cooling.
- However, in traffic jams on toll roads, its effectiveness decreases.
Step 10. Open the window wide
This step is self-explanatory and needs no further explanation, but sometimes the noise and unpleasant odors in the street you're walking on make you want to close the window. You may experience a resonant "vibration" of the bass sound, at some speed, but adjusting how wide you need to open each window can reduce or eliminate this effect. To improve air circulation in the car, pay attention to the following:
- If you have a fan, turn it on, and open the rear window just enough to draw air through the car.
- Opening the roof window or opening the rear window will draw in plenty of fresh air, even if you are driving in a traffic jam or stuck in heavy creeping traffic.
Step 11. Install window film on all windows, including the windshield
This coating will help reduce the intensity of sunlight entering the car, while protecting the vinyl interior from UV radiation that can damage the car seats and dashboard. (Note: make sure you select an allowed type of window film).
Step 12. Mount the fan on the dashboard or hang it on a sun visor
You can buy an inexpensive 12-volt fan at an auto supply store or a major retail store. You can clip it to the sun visor or rearview mirror, or sit it on the dashboard and plug it into the cigarette lighter to circulate the air. Turn on fans during your trip to help circulate the air and keep you cool.
Passengers can use paper or hand fans to help circulate the air directly around themselves. If fan motion is distracting you while driving, ask them to lower the fan or not use it
Step 13. Wear less clothes and choose bright colors
If you have a long commute to work or school, try wearing shorts and a T-shirt while driving, then change in the bathroom or locker room at your destination. This way, you will stay clean and cool all day long.
- Bring a change of clothes (or several). It's a good idea to always have clean clothes ready in your car to deal with overheating and traffic jams, especially if you have to look more presentable at your destination throughout the day.
- Don't wear dark clothes. The darker the color of the garment, the more it absorbs heat. So, wear bright colored clothes. If you must wear dark clothing, cover it with a partially collapsible sun visor.
Step 14. Open the window only slightly (about 1 cm) when parking (in a safe place)
This move allows hot air to escape from the car and draws in cooler air. The air outside can be as high as 31 degrees, but the air inside a parked car can be 45 degrees or more! Not only will the air get very hot, but the seats and surfaces will also be hot. Keeping the cold air flowing from the outside can help the temperature inside the car more tolerable. Use common sense when applying this method. Pay attention to the possibility of rain or the occurrence of crime.
If it's raining or theft isn't a problem, for example, the car is parked nearby and can be seen from where you're sitting, there's nothing wrong with opening the windows completely to cool the air inside
Step 15. Park the car in the shade
This step will make a huge difference when you get back in the car.
- Multi-storey parking or underground parking can be an ideal choice.
- If you will be parking the car for a long time in a regular parking lot, try to account for the shift in the sun so that the car will be in the shade when you return.
- You can park next to a boxcar or large truck for shade, but the vehicle may be gone when you get back in the car. So, this solution is more suitable for short term only.
- Use sun protection when parking. Cover windows that will be exposed to sunlight. Or, you can cover the dark seats, dashboard and steering wheel with sun visors to keep them cool.
Tips
- Use car air vents to help circulate air. A little air movement will help keep you cool.
- There are many inexpensive 12-volt fans that are designed to cool computer boxes and can be used in cars. It might take some tweaking, but having more options would be better.
- Choosing a parking location and using sun visor can have a big impact on maintaining coolness in the car. Don't forget to put a sun visor on the windshield to prevent heat from entering through it when the car is parked. Try to park the car in the shade or under the shade of trees, walls, and so on. The longer you allow the car to cool down before entering it, the longer the car will heat up when you start driving.
- A wet cloth is also effective at cooling a hot steering wheel so you can touch it. Spray a little water, then wipe with a damp cloth. After that, you can touch it without stinging your fingers.
Warning
- Car interiors can get very hot and dangerous in the sun. So, never leave a person or pet in the car while you are away.
- Even if you are tempted to use dry ice in the car, do not do it. Dry ice will displace oxygen and cause shortness of breath in confined spaces (such as cars).
- Be careful when driving in flip flops or footwear that is not securely attached as they can slip off and get caught under the pedals. This will make it difficult for you to change the clutch, increase speed or brake (depending on where the slipper is stuck).
- In some states, having dark windows is illegal, for example in some US states, such as Alaska, California, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. In Canada, this act is also prohibited. We recommend that you check the applicable laws.
- Many of the suggested methods can cause condensation on the inside of the window. To fix this, open a window.
- Make sure you secure any light items before opening the window. Newspapers and sun visors are two items that can easily get blown away and cover the driver's face or fly out the window. Place a heavy object on it, such as a shoe.
